


fire on fire

by injeoImis



Series: stillness in woe [8]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Divorce, M/M, Post-Divorce, Step-Brothers, Step-parents, Step-siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 12:51:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17100926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/injeoImis/pseuds/injeoImis
Summary: the story of how two boys, who hate the other with just about everything in them, learn to be civil for the sake of their fathers.or, a fic about qian chenle and seo donghyuck who absolutely despise the fact that they are soon-to-be stepbrothers.





	fire on fire

**Author's Note:**

> idk where i got this idea from but here a few songs i listened to while writing:  
> sassy me - red velvet  
> gashina - sunmi  
> cypher pt4 - bts  
> atlas: son - sleeping at last  
> bbibbi - iu

Don’t get Donghyuck wrong, he was totally ecstatic when his father told him he was dating. At first, he was kind of upset though. He and his father had been doing fine on their own since his mother walked out on them. His father was strong and didn’t need a woman or a man anymore. He had Donghyuck… Shouldn’t that be enough?   
  
After a month of Donghyuck meeting his father’s boyfriend (those two words next to each other made Donghyuck gag for a while), he finally understood. The smile Kun-hyung put on his father’s face did not compare to the smiles his father used to share with his mother. The laughter that erupted from his father did not compare to any other time when his mother was still around.

 

His father was much happier with Kun-hyung around. So who was Donghyuck to deny him of that kind of happiness?

  
  
  


…

  
  
  


The first time Chenle’s father told him that he would be meeting his father’s boyfriend’s son, he was a little more than excited. He had even cleaned his room (which was something he did only for Jisung) and wiped down his keyboard, setting new sheet music on the stand, in case the teen liked music just as much as he did. However all of his efforts were for nothing.

 

“Chenle! This is my son, Donghyuck,” Johnny-hyung greeted, pulling the boy in front of him. 

 

Donghyuck was not at all what Chenle was expecting. He was rude, although it was laced underneath his honey voice. He was demanding but you couldn’t be able to tell unless you were looking for it. He never paid any attention to the conversation until it was steered in a direction of his liking. 

 

Chenle couldn’t relate to him at all, despite the small age gap. He hated it and he hated Donghyuck. 

 

But Chenle knew that Johnny-hyung was the best person for his father since Ten-hyung. There would be no one else who could make his father smile the way Johnny-hyung does. There would be no one else who would love his father the way Johnny-hyung does. So who was Chenle to deny him of that kind of happiness?

  
  
  


…

  
  
  


The day that Donghyuck learns that Kun-hyung and Chenle are going to be moving in with them is the worst day of his life.

 

He shuts out all his friends and his boyfriend. He bullshits his way through school that day. He ignores Chenle’s continuously incredibly annoying attempts to get him to like him, because if he hasn’t liked him from the first day they met, he knew that he never would.

 

(That was a lie. It took Donghyuck at least a month after meeting Mark Lee to actually be able to be in the older teen’s presence for more than five minutes without a screaming match. Now they were dating. If he put in the effort, he’d totally be able to tolerate Chenle.)

 

Returning home that day, Donghyuck has suddenly lost his voice. He knows that his father knows he’s upset but neither one make any effort to speak about it. Kun-hyung doesn’t make any effort to talk to him about it. Chenle converses in Chinese and intentionally avoids Donghyuck as they move things around the house. 

 

Life like this is complicated but if it means that Donghyuck doesn’t have to face the reality that everything is changing right before his eyes, he is irrevocably okay with that.

  
  
  


* * *

 

  
  


Chenle cries when his father breaks the news about moving in with Johnny-hyung after dinner one night. He bikes over to Renjun’s house and cries on the older boy’s shoulder for at least an hour or more.

 

“ _ I just don’t get it, Renjun-ge _ ,” Chenle complains in broken Chinese due to his sobs and sniffling. “ _ Why doesn’t he like me? Can’t you ask him for me? You’re friends with him, right _ ?” He importunes, pulling on Renjun’s now damp sleeve.

 

The older just sighs, continuing to run his hair through Chenle’s messy hair. “ _ It’s not my business to know, Lele. It just takes him a while to warm up to new people _ .” He tried to console him. Renjun gave good advice but Chenle decided this was his worst yet. “ _ It’s been seven months! That’s almost half a year. He likes you! C’mon, please _ ,” Chenle pouted, pulling himself out of Renjun’s embrace.

 

He grabbed the older’s phone, holding it out to him. “ _ I’ll cook your lunch for two whole weeks _ .” He bargained. Renjun gave him a blank facial expression. “ _ The only thing you can cook is scrambled eggs and even then, I’m not sure I’d want them for two weeks straight _ .”

 

Chenle scoffed, the ghost of a smile appearing on his face. “ _ I’ll learn something from Sicheng-ge. Now, text _ !” He demanded, shaking Renjun’s phone. 

 

A momentary silence passed as the older made out a message. The only sounds were their breathing and the keyboard clicks of Renjun’s phone until the send tone went off. “ _ Happy now _ ?” Renjun asked. Chenle nodded, “ _ Very. Now let’s get ice cream or something. I hate crying _ .”

 

Renjun ruffled Chenle’s hair. “ _ And I hate seeing you cry. Consider this your lucky day, Chenle _ .”

 

Thirty minutes later at the ice cream shoppe, Renjun got an answer from Donghyuck.

  
  


**_< hey… kind of a weird question _ **

**_that i’m about to ask_ **

**_< but why don’t u like lele?_ **

 

**_> who?_ **

 

**_< chenle…_ **

 

**_> sorry who?_ **

 

**_< qian chenle _ **

**_< ffs haechan!_ **

 

**_> oh,,, well_ **

**_> i could write a novel abt how much i hate_ **

**_the kid and it still wouldn’t be long enough._ **

 

**_< okay._ **

**_< thanks._ **

 

**_> why do you ask_ **

 

**_< no reason._ **

**_< but if ur going to be an ass, don’t _ **

**_expect me to be ur friend, donghyuck._ **

 

**_> READ 21:34_ **

  
  


“ _ What did he say _ ?” Chenle asked, hooking his chin on Renjun’s shoulder. The older locked his phone screen before Chenle could see what was sent.

 

“He just needs some time, is all. Nothing I haven’t already told you. Now let’s go home.” Renjun insisted as they walked back to his car. “Can’t I stay with you? I don’t—I don’t think I want to see him yet.” Chenle admitted, pensively eating his ice cream.

 

The sad expression on Chenle’s face made Renjun’s heart hurt. He knew that if he actually heard Donghyuck talk shit about Chenle, he’d have to fight him somehow but this wasn’t his fight to battle.

 

“ _ Kun-ge will worry about you, plus it’s a school night. Maybe on Friday, my dad will let you stay _ .” Renjun concluded, pulling in front of the official unofficial Seo-Qian household. Chenle frowned. “ _ I’m holding you to it _ .” “ _ I know you are _ .”

 

Chenle watched Renjun drive off from the front window of the living room before retreating to his own with his now half-full ice cream cup. The only thing that made him feel slightly better was his ice cream, Marvel movies, and his piano.

 

A few sad songs later and there was a knock on his door. “Some people are trying to do homework and it’s hard to concentrate with you singing like that.” Donghyuck complained, his voice seeping through the door.

 

Chenle knew that if either of their fathers were home, instead of at work, he’d not have said anything. “Sorry!” He called out, packing up his sheet music and retiring to bed.

 

A few more tears escaped as he bundled himself in his duvet despite the heat coming from the vents into the room.

 

Life like this was complicated. Time was passing by so fast yet he still felt like he was getting nowhere with trying to make Donghyuck at least tolerate him. Chenle almost wanted to give up but his father raised him to be a fighter. One day, he and Donghyuck would be two peas in a pod. Chenle knew that day would not be tomorrow, or the next day, or next week. It might not even be next year but Chenle was irrevocably okay with that.

  
  
  


* * *

 

  
  


In the next year, Donghyuck has become accustomed to his new life.

 

He’s now a senior at Neo Culture School of Arts while Chenle is a junior. His father still works as a veterinarian and Kun-hyung is continuing his job as a physician assistant at the local hospital. Donghyuck’s father is usually home more than Kun-hyung which Donghyuck is more than grateful for.

 

It’s not that he doesn’t like Kun-hyung, but more of the fact that he’ll always be more comfortable around his own father even if it kind of felt like Chenle was stealing him as of late. Chenle always had things going on and Donghyuck’s father was always usually free to accommodate those things.

 

Chenle joined the basketball and swimming teams since they had different seasons and signed up for choir after Donghyuck had talked about it over the phone with Jeno one night. Why was this kid so persistent in trying to copy him so bad?

 

“Johnny-hyung! I thought you were working a little later today,” Chenle greeted as he walked into the kitchen. It was a Thursday which meant the younger had basketball practice right after school until five pm. His father informed him that another doctor, Taeil-hyung, was taking over for that day so he had the day off. 

 

“Oh, that’s great!” Chenle branched off into a new conversation, this time in Chinese so Donghyuck tuned him out, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to understand and eavesdrop. The only thing he caught out of the exchanges were a few ‘great!’s. 

 

Chenle sat across from Donghyuck, sneaking a glance at the work he was doing. “Oh, that’s the Physics homework? I did it in class, if you want the answers, Haechan-hyung,” Chenle offered, with a smile. Donghyuck knew his dad was watching the exchange. He knew that his father knew that even after all this time, Donghyuck still had a problem with the year-younger Chinese teen. Why, though? That, his father didn’t know.

 

“No, I’ll just do it myself,” Donghyuck answered, abruptly, putting his earbud back in. If Chenle frowned for a moment, Donghyuck ignored it in favour of punching in some numbers in his calculator.

 

The room cleared out and Donghyuck hadn’t noticed until three hours later when he finally finished all his homework. He decided to retire to his room until dinner since it wouldn’t come until Kun-hyung came home.

 

“Hey, what the hell are you doing in my room?” Donghyuck asked, as he saw the door was already open. Chenle sat on his bed, with his phone in his hand. “And you’re snooping on my phone? Don’t you have any manners?” He commented, snatching the device from Chenle’s grip.

 

Donghyuck stood and Chenle stared at him in silence, as if they were in some kind of cowboy movie stand-off scene.

 

“Why do you hate me, Haechan-hyung?” Chenle asked. The waver in his voice almost made Donghyuck feel sorry. Keyword: almost

 

“Because,” Donghyuck scoffed, crossing his arms. “I just do.”

 

“I want an answer! I just want to know what I did wrong!” Chenle insisted, using an outside voice. Donghyuck had never heard Chenle yell before. Now he was standing, the frown prominent in his face. 

 

“You came into my life, that’s what you did, Qian Chenle! You came here like you owned the place and uprooted my entire life. You made me lose Renjun as a friend and now you’re trying to be like me and stealing my father from me and I hate you for it! Everything would be just fine without you pestering me to like you twenty-four seven but that seems to be the only thing you do around here anyway!” Donghyuck yelled, fists balled.

 

“Donghyuck, what the hell?” His father’s voice boomed from outside the doorway.

 

He turned around to see his dad sporting an angry facial expression. His father never got angry at him, unless what he did was really bad. Donghyuck turned around again, meeting Chenle’s glossy eyes.

 

“ _ Fine _ . I’ll stop trying so hard then,” Chenle left it at that, leaving the room. The silence was deafening as he and his father heard the front door slam behind Chenle. 

 

“What the hell was that Donghyuck? He’s—You have been acting so different for the past year. I was brushing it off because I know. I  _ know  _ what it’s like to have to go through a divorce and get used to life after it but I trusted that you could handle it. I guess I was wrong,” His father scolded him.

 

Donghyuck held his head, in shame and embarrassment. “I’m sorry.”

 

His father took a seat on his bed. “Come over here.”

 

Warily, Donghyuck sat next to him. “You’re really going to have to give me, Kun-hyung, and Chenle a better apology than a measly, ‘I’m sorry’. Listen, kiddo. I’m not saying you have to be walking around hand in hand with Chenle by tomorrow but you have to give him a chance.”

 

“I just… I don’t want a brother. Why can’t it just be us two? We were fine before this.” Donghyuck whined. He knew he sounded like a five year old but he didn’t care. His father was all he had left. He was  _ not  _ going to let anyone take him away.

 

“Life works in mysterious ways. And what’s this about Chenle stealing me?” His dad inquired, nudging Donghyuck’s side. He muttered something underneath his breath that he ended up having to repeat at the request of his father. “You pay more attention to him than me. And you’re learning Chinese for them and I never see you anymore and—” “Take a breath kiddo. I’m trying to make up for the time you’ve been denying him. There’s only so much I can do to make him feel like we actually want him here.” Johnny began his spiel.

 

“If you were in Chenle’s spot, you’d feel like shit, right?” He paused to allow Donghyuck to nod his head as an answer. “So if you’d feel that way, what makes you think it’s right for you to treat him the same way you  _ wouldn’t _ want to be treated? You’re older than him. You’re supposed to set an example for him and make him feel happy. Be the older brother he never had.”

 

_ Pretty sure Renjun is the older brother he never had _ , Donghyuck thought.

 

“I can’t help you,” Johnny concluded. “You’re on your own for this one, Duckie.” 

 

Donghyuck smiled a little. He hadn’t heard that nickname since he learned how to walk. “Okay. I’ll make it up to you.” “Not to me. To Chenle and Kun-hyung.”

 

They hugged for a moment before his father left the room, probably to do other important things.

 

Donghyuck sighed, grabbing his phone. It was time to make things right.

  
  
  


…

  
  
  


After the fight, Chenle went to the place he considered his second home. 

 

“ _ I don’t know what to do anymore, Renjun-ge. My dad loves Johnny-hyung. He’s not going to leave just because I feel like shit. I don’t want him to be sad because of me _ ,” Chenle frowned. 

 

“ _ It’s not your fault, Lele. Donghyuck is just an asshole _ ,” Renjun scowled. “ _ Maybe I should just say sorry and _ —” “ _ You have nothing to say sorry for. Got it _ ?” Renjun interrupted, looking Chenle in the eyes. His gaze was terrifying but Chenle wasn’t scared.

 

Renjun was just very protective of those he loved. Chenle was very lucky to be one of those people.

 

“ _ If anything, I should be going back home with you to beat him the fuck _ —” “ _ N-no, that’d make my dad and Johnny-hyung mad _ .” 

 

Renjun rolled his eyes, “ _ Kun-ge will just have to be mad then _ .” Chenle laughed. “ _ Aren’t you the one who’s always telling me that violence is never the answer _ ?” “ _ Only because you can’t throw a punch _ !” Renjun teased, punching Chenle’s arm teasingly. It actually hurt but Chenle wouldn’t tell him that.

 

He was about to say something when a text sound went off. “ _ It’s from Haechan-hyung. Should I answer it _ ?” 

 

The two boys stared at the notification in a moment of silence. “ _ Let me answer it and I’ll give him a taste of his own _ —” “ _ Okay, I guess I’ll answer it then _ !” Chenle decided, unlocking his phone.

  
  


**_> can i call u_ **

**_> it’s important_ **

 

**_< do you just want to yell at me again?_ **

 

**_> no._ **

**_> apologise._ **

 

**_< five minutes_ **

  
  


When the call went through, Chenle put his phone on speaker, signalling for Renjun to be quiet as he conversed with Donghyuck.

 

It was time to make things right.

  
  
  


…

  
  
  
  


Two years later and Donghyuck has finally left the official unofficial Seo-Qian household. He’s now a sophomore in college, studying Astrophysics and Astronomy. Chenle is now a freshman in college, starting out in a Pre-Optometry pathway at the same university Donghyuck, his boyfriend, and his friends attended. 

 

In a few months, his father and Kun-hyung would be getting married.

 

Donghyuck never thought the day would come but now that it’s so close, he can’t wait for it to happen.

 

“Do you think Johnny-hyung is going to make you the best man? Or will it be Jaehyun-hyung?” Chenle asked, practically jumping in his chair. 

 

The two were at a cafe, discussing wedding things, even though it wasn’t their own.

 

“If he doesn’t then am I really his son?” Donghyuck quipped.

 

After their fight two years ago, Donghyuck finally gave the younger boy a chance. He still never understood why he was so hard on the kid. There was not one thing Donghyuck hated about Chenle now that they were a lot closer than they were compared to two years ago and even when they met.

 

Some days he’d wished he was more mature when they met and had just dealt with his feelings like a real human being would but then he thought maybe he wouldn’t have gained some life lessons if things hadn’t worked out the way they did. So in a way, he was glad that Chenle came into his life. 

 

Something had felt missing since the day his mother left. _Maybe Chenle was the missing piece._

  
  
  


…

  
  
  


Two years later and Chenle would say he had never been happier. University was exciting and everything he thought it’d be. He’d have to wait another year until Jisung could enroll and be with him again but Chenle could wait. He’d always wait for Jisung.

 

Not only was university one of the catalysts for his continuously happy emotions, but his family was as well.

 

In a few months time, his father and Johnny-hyung were going to get married! Ever since Chenle met Johnny-hyung, he knew the older man was The One for his father. Even Sicheng-ge agreed when he and Yuta-hyung met him.

 

As Donghyuck sat across from him, discussing the kinds of flowers Jaehyun-hyung’s son would have to throw as he walked the aisle, Chenle couldn’t help but smile.

 

It took awhile but they were finally civil with each other. Maybe he’d even consider Donghyuck one of his best friends. He hated that it took a fight for them to become friendly with each other but thinking back on it, Chenle wouldn’t have it any other way. The fight helped him mature in a way that he wasn’t sure would happen any other way so for that, he was grateful.

 

Ever since Chenle was adopted, something in his life was missing. _Maybe Donghyuck was the missing piece._  
  


**Author's Note:**

> i also didn't mean for this to be so long LOL i spent like 4-5 hours on it..... oops.
> 
> merry christmas then! hehe,, next fic: jenle :)
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/dunkyushot)  
>  [ko-fi](https://www.ko-fi.com/post/Commissions-S6S6STK1)


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